


Step Stool

by HolyKingWasteLand



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Kinda, Klaus Hargreeves-centic, Not Beta Read, Number Five | The Boy-centric, Slight alterations, We Die Like Men, good bros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-10
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-11-14 20:46:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18059780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HolyKingWasteLand/pseuds/HolyKingWasteLand
Summary: Five is small, Klaus is tall, Five climbs up Klaus like a step stool.





	Step Stool

It started when they were nine, Klaus was a bit taller than Five, and the latter despised it. Klaus would tease him and offer to give him piggy-back rides (which of course he would ignore or refuse).

This continued on for a year until Klaus hit a small growth spurt.

Five and Klaus are standing around in the kitchen, the glass cups are up in the cabinet behind the latter. Klaus grabs a glass cup for himself and puts it on the counter.

"Four, hand me a cup." Five (doesn't really) asks. Klaus blinks at the shorter one and grins.

"Awh, little Five can't reach the cups! Need your taller bro's help?" He asks smugly, Five shoots him a look and then jumps into Klaus's arms, the taller falls backwards into the counter with a shocked gasp and then a wince. Five pushes himself up by Klaus's shoulders, and Klaus holds his hands out for Five to stand on so he stops digging into his stomach.

They manoeuvre a bit until Five manages to grab his cup, and then he teleports back onto the floor, causing Klaus to exhale sharply.

Klaus watches as Five fills his cup up with water and then takes a sip. "Hm, you're actually a pretty good step-stool, Four." He holds up his drink with a smug smile and walks away. "Thanks."

The taller of the two just keeps staring as his shorter brother leaves the room.

"What just... happened?" Klaus asks the empty air around him.

 

* * *

 

This actually happens a lot, just never with the others in the room so Klaus never has any witnesses.

Klaus is sitting on the couch, upside down of course, and fiddling with his hands. He's bored. Dad's gone away with Luther for some kind of training or something, and the others don't wanna hang out with him so here he is. Bored.

He hears a groan come from the foyer and he jumps up to investigate. 

"Five?" Klaus calls, tilting his head in confusion upon seeing the disgruntled ten year old.

"Four! Help me get my Rubik's cube down, Luther put it up on the bookshelf when I called him stupid." Five explains, pointing up at the large bookcase.

Klaus blinks and comes closer. "But how can I help? I'm not  _that_ tall bro-" Klaus is interrupted when Five jumps into his arms. He lets out a startled laugh and struggles to hold Five in his arms. "A little warning would be great," He mutters, struggling to move his hands around so Five can actually  _balance._

"Stop moving, I can almost grab it." Five wobbles as he stands up and leans forward so Klaus has to step backwards to keep them upright. "Almost..." Five pokes his tongue out the side of his mouth as he concentrates. "A little higher-"

Klaus takes in a breath and lifts Five higher, his muscles straining painfully.

Five lets out a gasp of excitement and he grabs the Rubik's Cube successfully, Klaus lowers his arms and Five lets him hold him in his arms as he fiddles with the cube. Klaus has his arms looped around Five's legs to keep him up, but he's not as strong as his brothers, so this is all very painful.

"Can I put you down now, Five?" Klaus's voice is strained and his arms are shaking. Five looks up, his eyes show.. something, positive, but Klaus can't put his finger on it.

"Oh, yeah." Klaus puts him down and Five starts running up the stairs before he pauses an looks back down at his brother. "..Thanks, Four." He whispers into the silent house and continues up the stairs.

Klaus's face hurts from smiling.

 

* * *

 

Two years go by before Klaus is actually used to it.

"Hey come here I need to grab a book." Five says, gesturing for Klaus to come over- which he does. Klaus stands underneath the bookshelf, coming at an  _astounding_  5"2, whereas Five is only 4"10. Five steps up onto Klaus's waiting hands and then steps up onto his shoulders to reach it.

They wobble a bit, but eventually Five gets the book and climbs back down. He flashes Klaus a smile before rushing out of the room.

A small smile lights up on Klaus's face.

 

* * *

 

They're fifteen- coming up at 5”6 now!- when Klaus is pulling on his coat, it's June tenth and there's a pride parade a half hour walk away from their house.

“Where are you going?” Five asks, appearing behind him. Klaus jumps and curses loudly, spinning around to see his brother there.

“Wha- Five? I'm going out.” He says shortly, trying to get out the door, but Five follows. “What are you doing?”

“Following you, what does it look like I'm doing, Four?” Five raises an eyebrow and falls into step beside Klaus.

They walk in relative silence for a while until they can hear the faint music. Klaus is bouncing on his heels and Five is watching with fascination as a bunch of people start running around in bright rainbow colours.

“What... is this?” Five asks, he's not used to not knowing things.

“This, little Five, is called a Pride Parade.” Klaus informs, not knowing his brother's stance on these things. Five nods absent-mindedly and grabs Klaus's sleeve, tugging him through the crowd.

They get to the semi-front, but Five still can't see. He stretches to look over the tall people in front of them, but to no use. And then he's being lifted.

Klaus hoists Five up onto his shoulders and he wobbles a bit before relaxing. And then they watch the parade.

Five's eyes have literal stars in them as the drag queens dance in synchronisation, the guys and girls pole-dance on the floats, and some other people are running alongside the floats in full body paint, rainbows; blues, purples, and pinks; and so many other colours.

He has so many questions.

He gestures to the rainbow flag someone has tied around their neck. “I know that one's the gay flag, but what are all these other ones?” Five asks, and Klaus chuckles.

The taller begins explaining the meanings to the smaller, and they spend the day hanging out together at the pride parade.

 

* * *

 

Then Five disappears and Ben dies.

Klaus is alone again.

 

* * *

 

 

It's years later when Five finally comes home.

He needs to get a coffee cup out of the cabinet, and Klaus is right there..

So he jumps into his brothers arms. Klaus catches him and with practised efficiency, Five climbs up onto his hands, he grabs a coffee cup, and sits in Klaus's arms, not noticing the stares from their siblings as Klaus walks over to the coffee machine. Five leans over and puts his mug down underneath it before turning it on.

"I'm sorry but... what?" Luther speaks up, and Klaus turns with Five in his arms to look at him. Luther gestures to them, looking for an explanation, and Klaus just shrugs.

Five is too exhausted to elaborate, he just blinks before turning back to the machine, tugging on Klaus's shirt to get him to turn back over. Klaus complies and takes him back to the coffee machine, where Five takes his mug and Klaus carries him out, leaving a room of shocked siblings in their wake.

**Author's Note:**

> [My Tumblr!](https://holykingwasteland.tumblr.com/)


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